The 26-year-old Miedema was injured in Thursday’s Champions League match against Olympique Lyonnais. Hoogeveen landed badly on her left leg and was carried off the field in tears on a stretcher. An investigation showed that Miedema tore her anterior cruciate ligament.
The attacker will undergo surgery in the next few days, after which he awaits a long rehabilitation. Recovery from a torn cruciate ligament usually takes at least nine months. Unlike his club Arsenal and KNVB, Miedema says in a statement that he will miss the World Cup. The tournament will start on July 20th.
“I’m devastated to have to share this news with you. I knew right away,” Miedema says in her declaration on the fatal moment. “So many things were going through my mind: I can’t help the team this season, no World Cup, surgery and rehabilitation for a long time.”
“I won’t tell you that I’ll come back stronger or that I’m looking forward to spending the next few months in the weight room. It’s going to be tough with many tough days and lots of crying, which I’ve done a lot these days, sadly that’s part of the soccer”.
Miedema’s absence from the World Cup is a major loss for the Orange Women and for national coach Andries Jonker, who took over in August. With 95 goals in 115 international matches, the striker is the all-time top scorer in the Netherlands.
